Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 15 - 2016 i Today's Quilter

After celebrating our first birthday last issue (yes, Today’s Quilter has passed the one-year milestone!) we’re now diving headlong into the festive season. The shops are already stocked with Christmas cards and wrapping paper – the countdown has begun. One of the loveliest aspects of this time of year is creating memories and ways to hold onto those special moments, and a quilt is perfect. A handcrafted gift is unique, with time, thought and care put into every stitch. A quilt is also a heirloom to be cherished and passed down through the generations. That’s why I thought you might like to get started now (if you haven’t already!) with some beautiful designs of all sizes. One of those is Lynne Edwards’ cover star, which is perfect for showcasing a…

“I absolutely adore designing for Christmas, whether it’s a small stitched gift for a friend or something bigger, such as a festive wall hanging for my family.” LET US KNOW! Drop us a line – an email, letter, tweet or Facebook post – letting us know about your quilting. Whether it’s a new project, treasured heirloom, favourite fabric or imaginative mood board, we’d love to see what you’ve been up to and hear your stories! PREPARE FOR CHRISTMAS with Lynette Anderson this year! We know that this time of the year is the perfect opportunity to quilt for all aspects of the season. Friends and family will receive gifts fresh from the sewing machine. Table linen gets a festive makeover to create an inviting place for loved ones to feast.…

Why don’t we do this stuff more often? More importantly, why don’t we do it with the right people? Of course, I have been abroad this year – did I mention Japan? But really what I mean here is the travelling in the UK that I have done in the last few months. It counts as abroad because the things I have seen, things I have done and the marvellous quilters I have met have made the trips as rich as anything I could have found in foreign climes. I’m just back from a proper little holiday in Yorkshire, County Durham and Northumbria, culminating in a visit to Pauline Burbidge’s Open Studios with her husband Charlie in the Scottish Borders. I went with my friend Heather, who was also with…

You will need •› Eight (8) assorted dark prints – 8in squares of each •› Eight (8) assorted light prints – 8in squares of each •› Sixteen (16) 1in hexagon paper pieces (see Templates section) •› One-hundred-and-twelve (112) 1in half-hexagon paper pieces (see Templates section) •› Batting – 15in square •› Lining fabric – 15in square •› Backing fabric – one (1) fat quarter •› Zip – 14in long •› Decorative trim – 60in (optional) •› Cushion pad – 14in square Finished size •› 14in x 13½in approx Fabric used •› Tana Lawns by Liberty of London, from Alice Caroline Fabrics. •› 30s Collection by Atsuko Matsuyama for Yuwa. •› M é moire à Paris Collection by Lecien. Notes •› Seam allowances are ¼in. •› Press seams open, unless otherwise…

Tied quilting can be used on any project and is useful on those that use thicker fabrics, or multiple layers. It’s a fun technique and can be creative too. WHAT IS TIED QUILTING? Tied quilting is a method of securing the layers of a quilt or project by tying them together. This can be achieved in various ways, which this article will explore. Machine and hand quilting are usually closely spaced, giving a flat appearance to a quilt, but tying the layers together is normally done at wider intervals, giving a puffier look. The knots can be tied on the front of the quilt or on the back and can be made in various ways, constructed to blend in or stand out as decorative features in their…

This quilt is a quick and simple one to piece. It is, however, more like a jigsaw puzzle when you come to sew the blocks together, but we have given clear diagrams which you just need to follow. It looks impressive and is definitely worth the extra attention when sewing the blocks together. Even though our chains are scrappy, it is very important to have two distinct colour groups so your interlocking circles are clearly seen. We used a great Jelly Roll Winter Wonderland from Moda, which had the perfect mix of reds and whites.…

The lucky quilters living in the Borders of Scotland and South Lanarkshire were in for a real treat last year when the Biggar & Upper Clydesdale Museum opened its doors for the first time. Included within the wide range of unique objects in their collection are two patchwork tablecovers designed and made by Menzies Moffat (1829-1907), a tailor and photographer from Biggar. These two elaborate inlay patchwork tablecovers made between 1857 and 1884 are wonderful examples of intarsia patchwork, a technique demanding great skill and patience. In the same way that marquetry uses inlays made of wood, intarsia patchwork inlays pieces of fabric into a background where an identical shape has been cut away. Intarsia patchwork is only possible with wool fabric that has been felted so that it does…

“I absolutely adore designing for Christmas, whether it’s a small stitched gift for a friend or something bigger, such as a festive wall hanging for my family.” In the coastal village of Marcoola in Queensland, Australia, Lynette Anderson is gearing up for another balmy Christmas on the Sunshine Coast. With average temperatures between 17-28 degrees Celsius throughout the summer, you are far more likely to find Santa sunning himself on one of the many miles of sandy beach rather than struggling down the chimney, booted and suited. In this Q&A, I asked Lynette to share some of her Christmas experiences. It’s not exactly the time of year to curl up under a snugly quilt, but as I discovered, Christmas at the Anderson house is as festive and Christmassy as they…

Napkins with all the trimmings, these are sure to be loved! You will need Napkin fabric – 1yd Feature print to fussy-cut circles for appliqué Ric-rac – approximately 7½yds Finished size 16½in square Cutting out 1 From the napkin fabric cut four (4) 17½in squares. 2 From the feature print, roughly cut around the chosen details. Making the napkins 3 Fold over a ¼in twice, on each napkin edge. Top stitch close to the edges all around to hem. 4 With the napkin flat and right side up, pin ric-rac around the four edges, ½in from the edge. Stitch in place with matching thread. 5 Working with the fusible web prepare four (4) fussy-cut circles (see Technical Tip on page 13). Centre and position one feature circle approximately 1½in up…

The stars will be shining brightly when you’re snuggled up under this quilt. This quilt will be the star of the show on Christmas night, and guarantee sweet dreams for little ones waiting for the big day! You will need •› Background fabric – 4yds (cream star print) * •› Four (4) red prints – ¼yd of each (red knit print, red star print, red snowflake print, red check print) •› Four (4) green prints – ¼yd of each (green knit print, green star print, green snowflake print, green check print) •› Backing fabric – 62in x 72in •› Batting – 62in x 72in Finished size •› Approx 56in x 64in Fabrics used ›•› Red and green check, star, snowflake and knit prints from Winter Village, with a cream…

Using two block styles, make this fabulous and fast tablerunner to be the star of your Christmas table… after the food of course! You will need •› Assorted red and green fabrics – twenty-four (24) 2›in squares •› Background fabric – 5in x 10in •› Border fabric – 5in x WOF •› Feature fabric for fussy-cutting •› Backing fabric –14in x 30in •› Binding fabric – 6in x WOF •› Ric-rac – 2yds Finished size 11in x 27in approximately Cutting out 1 From the feature fabric cut two (2) 4›in squares. 2 From the assorted red and green fabrics cut as follows: •› Twenty-four (24) 2›in squares. •› Two (2) 5in squares from the same green print. •› One (1) 4›in square from a green print. 3 From the…

Lynette Anderson FESTIVE SUPPLEMENT Allow Lynette to get you in the Christmas spirit with her signature folksy style in this unique project collection. See more on page 12. Jo Avery NEW! BLOCK OF THE MONTH Spend a month in the country with Jo every issue as she guides you through our brand NEW block of the month quilt! See page 87. Susan Briscoe HERITAGE DESIGN Discover Susan’s latest labour of love on page 76, the recreation of one of her favourite quilt treasures, Sidmouth Revisited.…

HANDMADE CHRISTMAS Library essentials Christmas Patchwork Loves Embroidery: Hand Stitches, Holiday Projects Gail Pan’s whimsical, cheerful embroidery style is centre stage in her new book featuring 17 festive designs for gift tags, pillows, wall hangings, Christmas stockings, table runners, a bag and much more! £21.99 www.roundhousegroup.co.uk 100 Little Christmas Gifts To Make A lovely collection of projects from Search Press’ bestselling authors. A wide variety of crafts are covered including papercraft, sewing, knitting, crochet, sugarcraft, felt decorations, jewellery making, cross stitch, mosaic making, découpage, polymer clay decorations and needlepoint. £12.99 www.searchpress.com FESTIVE FABRIC NEW THIS SEASON! Christmas at the North Pole is a fun time for Santa’s little helpers as they play hide and seek in the forest and play in the snow in the new range, Frosty. Vintage bauble…

I add on a complete inch to my finished block size rather than 7/8in - the sums are a lot easier... I have described fully in Issue 11 of Today’s Quilter how to make one pair of half-square triangles speedily and accurately. This fiendish way of making eight at a time builds upon the same principle, streamlining the process in a very satisfying way. It does mean that you get eight identical half-square triangles that use the same pair of fabrics in each square, but for many designs this is exactly what you want, and for a scrappy effect, these repeated blocks can be scattered across the quilt so that no one would ever notice that they are being used several times in the overall design. Making the pieced squares…

HELP! I really like the look of a tied quilt but when using flannels I find it quite difficult pulling the needle through the thick fabric. Any tips? Try this… Tying a quilt through thick layers can be tricky but you can make it easier to pull the needle and thread through by using a small pair of pliers to grip the needle when pulling it through. Another method I find very useful is to cut the fingers off an old pair of rubber kitchen gloves and wear one on my thumb and index finger to give better grip on the needle. Use a thimble too, to push the needle through from the wrong side. It also helps when planning where your ties will be to avoid sewing through seam…

Jacquie Harvey has won innumerable prizes both at home and abroad for her exquisite hand-quilted pieces. In this summer’s Queen’s Birthday Honours list she was delighted to be awarded a British Empire Medal “for services to hand quilting, design and the quilting industry”. So I was thrilled to have the opportunity to catch up with her to find out more about her inimitable style, and to learn some valuable hand-quilting tips. When did you start quilting and what is it that captivates you about it? “When we moved to Norfolk in the early 90s, I saw an advert for a City & Guilds course in Patchwork and Quilting. Trained as a dressmaker, I knew how to sew but I’d never done any patchwork and quilting. Thinking it would be an…

This scrappy medallion quilt was inspired by the Sidmouth Quilt, an early 19th century quilt in The Quilters’ Guild of the British Isles’s collection. Susan Briscoe had admired this quilt for a long time so, when the Guild reprinted the centre panel (from an identical unquilted one in their collection), a quilt based around it was the perfect project. The original panel was oval and the reprint is circular, so the size of every other piece had to be calculated from scratch. Susan made the most of Charm Pack squares, as well as some fat quarters and half metres to get a similar look to the surprisingly colourful original. There isn’t a single plain fabric in the whole quilt! The frame layout looks symmetrical at first glance, but there is…

SEW & SO’s Everything for the patchwork quilter, over 6,000 bolts in stock plus notions. 14 Upper Olland Street, Bungay, NR35 1BG sewsos.co.uk 01986 896147 PEMBERTONS Everything for the Quilter, fantastic selection of machines, cabinets, habby, fabrics & notions. Friars Street, Stirling. psmc.co.uk 01786 462993 CRAFT HIVE Fabrics, Threads, Wool & Haberdashery, Workshops and Craft Groups. 16c Front St. West, Bedlington, Northumberland NE22 5UB crafthive.co.uk STICKY FINGERS Wide range of 100% cotton patchwork fabrics, waddings, threads and notions, Janome sewing machine accessories. stickyfingerscrafts.co.uk THE CORNER PATCH A little corner of patchwork heaven. Fabric, wadding, threads and haberdashery. Workshops for all ages and abilities. thecornerpatch.co.uk THE QUILT LADY Year round, on demand workshops in Cornwall. 1,2,5 day workshops and › day taster sessions for all levels, especially beginners. sara@thequiltlady.co.uk FROM RAGS TO STITCHES…

Sheena Norquay talks about her passion for quilting • Jo Colwill presents her first quilt pattern for Today’s Quilter • Make Lynne Edwards’ classic festive bunting for your home • Discover Australia’s rich quilt heritage FREE! Clever roll clips to help you quilt with ease and accuracy! Issue 16 on sale 10th November…

Lynette’s distinctive “sophisticated naïve” style lends itself to the perfect handmade Christmas and her online shop, Little Quilt Store, sells all sorts of fabrics, notions and patterns for stitcheries and quilted projects. Attention to detail is key, right down to her Cheeky Reindeer Buttons, Christmas Fun Braids, Fun Packs and seasonal Scrap Book Papers. Many of her patterns are for small accessories including little pillows, needle cases and ornaments, designed to transform your home after just a few hours of stitching. They are also the perfect gifts to exchange with “quilty’ friends. If you are feeling a bit more ambitions you can choose from tablerunners and quilts, including a Scandinavian Christmas (measuring 36 x 43 inches) – “We were lucky enough to visit both Sweden and Norway, we found the…

Set your table stylishly with these patchwork napkin rings that complement the rest of the set. You will need •› Twelve (12) assorted 1in x 10in strips of fabric •› Backing fabric – 13in x 7in •› Interfacing – 8in x 10in •› Velcro or press studs Finished size •› 2in x 6in approximately. Cutting out 1 Cut the backing fabric into four (4) 3¼in x 6½in pieces. 2 Cut the interfacing into four (4) 2in x 6½in strips. Making the napkin rings 3 Sew together your twelve (12) 1in strips along the long edges with a ¼in seam (Fig 1). Press all seams in one direction. 4 Crosscut the pieced strips into four (4) 2in strips (Fig 2). Iron interfacing onto the wrong side of each one. 5 Place…

Decorate your Christmas tree with these fab baubles – great to make with children; no sewing required. You will need •› Coloured cardboard •› Fussy-cut fabric scraps •› Ribbon, thread or twine •› Fusible web or fabric glue Cutting out 1 Cut circles from coloured cardboard in various sizes. Use a die-cutter or pinking/craft scissors to create decorative edges around the circles. 2 Cut circles from your fussy-cut fabric scraps. These should be approximately ›in smaller in diameter than the cardboard circles. Making the baubles 3 Attach your fabric circles to the centre of each cardboard circle using fusible web or glue. 4 Punch a hole in the top of each bauble and thread with ribbon, thick thread or twine. 5 Hang your baubles on the tree or use them…

THE BOOK A COMMON THREAD The latest book in fibre artist and author Gwen Marston’s extensive library is a showcase of her incredible body of work. With more than 80 quilts representing over 40 years of quilt making, this beautiful coffee table book is at the top of our list for Father Christmas. Stunning close ups provide plenty of eye-candy and show off Gwen’s evolving style from her early traditional quilts, through to her liberated and abstract designs. www.gwenmarston.com THE DESIGNER AMY SINIBALDI We love working on small hand-stitched projects, especially at this time of year when we have gifts and decorations on our minds. This month we’re inspired to choose threads and get stitching some adorable embroidery designs from Amy Sinibaldi. Amy’s charming illustrations capture the imagination of children…

QUILTING EXHIBITIONS Ayrshire Quilters Exhibition Until 30th October, Ayrshire Rozelle House and Museum, Monument Road, Ayr, KA7 4NQ Monday to Saturday 10:00-17:00 Sunday 12:00-17:00 Admission: Free Contact Tricia Denholm, womat5@google.com On The Edge Until 3rd November, Berkshire The Contemporary Quilt Group section of the Quilters’ Guild present their most recent challenge. The Old Chapel Textile Centre, Main Street, Greenham Business Park, Newbury, RG19 6HW Tuesday to Thursday 10:00-16:00 Plus the first Saturday of the month 10:00-16:00 Organised by National Needlework Archive, 01635 38740 Unforgettable at The Welsh Quilt Centre Until 5th November, Ceredigion, Wales Three galleries of exhibits, including quilts from an array of artists with a diverse range of work. The Welsh Quilt Centre, The Town Hall, High Street, Lampeter, Ceredigion, Wales, SA48 7BB For info, call 01570 422…

During my regular visits to quilt shops and exhibitions I have all too frequently found myself buying small amounts of fabrics, usually fat quarters or half yards or metres, which become the nucleus of a collection of fabrics to be used together in some as yet unspecified project. Over time I add to the collection, choosing fabrics that are so appealing to me that the growing pile becomes a pleasure in itself, to be stroked and enjoyed as it is. Who could bear to split the collection up? Even worse, how could anyone even cut them up to use? The collection was a Moda one called something Italian like Luna Notte, which absolutely took my heart, and I had to buy it when I saw the collection at Quilts UK.…

You will need •› One (1) Jelly Roll OR forty (40) 2›in strips cut across the width of the fabric. •› Background fabric – 2›yds •› Binding fabric – ›yd •› Batting – 62in x 74in •› Backing fabric – 3yds Finished size •› 54in x 66in Fabric used •› Winter Wonderland from Moda Notes •› Use a ¼in seam throughout. •››“You will need” includes fabric for a pieced backing. •› Binding fabric was chosen to blend with the background. Sorting your strips 1 You will need to be guided by what is in your Jelly Roll and artistic licence can be used, but it is important to have two distinct colour groups. You need: •› Fifteen (15) colour A (red) strips. •› Thirteen (13) colour B (white) strips. •›…

Don’t worry about “rules”. Just find a way of quilting that you find comfortable and enjoy it. Practise a little every day and don’t unpick – just keep going. Many people give up because they just cannot get a small stitch, but I believe that everyone has a “perfect stitch” and mine just happens to be small. The important thing is to keep the stitches even and the more you stitch the more even your stitches will become. But don’t worry if a few are uneven – there are thousands of stitches in a quilt so they won’t be noticed. If you’re working on a project and haven’t been able to quilt for a few days, it’s a good idea to keep a small sample piece on which you can…

It’s six years now since we moved to our seven acre smallholding in West Lothian. We’re not farmers and are both too busy being creative to look after animals, but we do love nature. So we planted 3,500 trees, built two ponds and landscaped the field to encourage as much wildlife as possible. When I say “we” I really mean my hardworking husband, Jonathan. I just stood by and cheered him on! In this monthly column I will be sharing my observations of life at Shangri La Farm, and especially the inspiration I get from our daily walks around the land. Over the next year we will create a kind of album quilt using a range of techniques and featuring designs inspired by the natural world around me. Autumn is…

SHOPPING ACCESSORIES Aurifil www.aurifil.com Berisfords www.berisfords-ribbons.co.uk  0126 027 4011 Emma Bridgewater www.emmabridgewater.co.uk  0178 240 7733 Q Shop www.quiltersguildshop.org.uk  0190 461 3242 Mary Ellen’s Best Press www.eqsuk.com  0116 271 0033 Sew Easy Freezer Paper groves@stockistenquiries.co.uk BOOKS Roundhouse Group www.roundhousegroup.co.uk  0127 360 3717 Search Press www.searchpress.com  0189 251 0850 The Guild of Master Craftsman www.thegmcgroup.com  0127 348 8005 Abrams & Chronicle Books www.abramsandchronicle.co.uk  0190 382 8501 FABRIC COLLECTIONS Nightfall www.artgalleryfabrics.com  0157 042 2866 Kismet www.eqsuk.com New Lakes www.oakshottfabrics.com  0145 237 1571 Walk in the Glen, Northern Lights, When I Met Santa’s Reindeer www.lewisandirene.com Frosty, Balmoral and Trinkets www.makoweruk.com  0149 157 9727…

In the world of quilting, it’s never too early to plan for Christmas. Here in the Today’s Quilter office we’ve been in the festive mood for weeks making this supplement. So it’s fitting that we’re working with Lynette Anderson. Living in the Southern hemisphere, Lynette and her family celebrate Christmas in the height of the scorching Australian summer! Christmas is the ideal time to make handsewn gifts and deck our homes with fabric heirlooms, and Lynette has ideas for every room with projects that won’t take you until Christmas Eve to finish! She also tells us all about Christmas in the Anderson household, and the ideas behind her new fabric line, Festive Fun. So if you haven’t already, this is the time to start planning for the season of goodwill…

Create the perfect table setting with this set of sweet placemats. You will need •› Cream checked tonal print – 25in x WOF •› Red checked tonal print – 12½in x WOF •› Feature print to fussy-cut circles for appliqué •› Binding fabric (green spot print) – 15in x WOF •› Batting – four (4) 14½in x 19½in pieces •› Backing fabric (multi-star print on cream) – 1yd •› Fusible web such as Soft Fuse or Vliesofix Finished size •› Approx. 12½in x 17½in Cutting out 1 From the cream checked print cut four (4) 12½in squares. 2 From the red checked print cut four (4) 6in x 12½in rectangles. 3 From the binding fabric cut six (6) 2½in strips. 4 From the backing fabric cut four (4) 14½in x…

Protect your table while still making a fun statement with these jolly coasters. You will need •› Background fabrics – four (4) 10in squares •› Feature fabrics for fussy-cut hexagons – four (4) 5in squares* •› Iron-on fusible web – 10in square •› Batting – 11in x 14in •› Hexagon templates Finished size •› 4½in x 5¼in approximately. Notes •› * › Fussy-cut fabrics can create more wastage, so you may need more fabric than stated. •››“You will need” list is for four (4) ›››› ››› coasters. Cutting out 1 For each coaster cut as follows: •› Two (2) large hexagons from the background fabric. •› One (1) large hexagon from the batting. •› Fussy-cut one (1) small hexagon from the feature print. Making the coasters 2 Place two (2)…

Make this gorgeous cushion that captures all the excitement of waking up on Christmas morning in stunning but simple embroidery stitches. You will need •› Dark green fabric – 14in x 10½in •› Pale fabric for embroidered panel •› Cushion background –½yd red fabric •› Iron-on fabric stabiliser – ¼yd •› Transfer paper •› One (1) parcel button •› Two (2) dove buttons •› One (1) Santa button •› DMC Stranded Embroidery threads white (blanc), #310 black, #221 red, #94 variegated green, #3852 gold •› Toy fill •› Pattern template (see page 31) •› Fine tipped fabric marking pen •› Light box, optional Finished size •› Approx 10½in x 13½in Notes •› If you are using an iron-on stitchery stabiliser follow manufacturer’s instructions and apply to the wrong side of…

This collection is destined to be made into napery for your festive table, throws to snuggle under on those chilly December days and is ideal for a myriad festive quilts. Vanilla, blizzard, ruby red, cherry ripe, wintergreen and pine: you could be forgiven for thinking that I was naming Santa’s reindeer, but in fact these are the delicious colours I have chosen to use for my Festive Fun fabric collection. The focus print has spheres that float through a sea of spots and stars, the spheres are filled with scenes of snowmen, Santas, kittens with gifts, reindeer stacks and dogs wearing mittens. There are prints with mistletoe berries for spots, holly berries that are ready to be plucked from the surface, scattered star prints and a sweet stripe. So stitch…

Country Style Quilting: 14 stunning patchwork quilts and gifts A collection of projects, including splendid quilts, bags and needlecases in Lynette’s unmistakable style. This adorable collection of patchwork projects really captures the essence of country style. The designs feature lots of Lynette’s trademark hand embroidery and stitching and make for great portable projects for stitching “on the go”. The book also includes the basic techniques you will need to make and finish off the projects, from transferring designs onto fabric to binding a finished quilt. £5.60, www.stitchcraftcreate.co.uk Country Cottage Quilting: 15 Quilt Projects Combining Stitchery with Patchwork Lynette Anderson’s country cottage garden provides the inspiration for this collection of beautiful quilting and stitchery designs. There are 15 gorgeous projects to create, including wall quilts, everyday bags and sumptuous cushion covers…